into the unknown |t.k|

ten

They're almost to the surface when Jeongguk stops swimming. His arms are full of this so-called clothing that they all have to wear because humans don't just walk around with bare bodies, or so Namjoon explained earlier.

Yoongi looks at Jeongguk, worried. 

"What's wrong, Jeongguk?" 

Jeongguk shakes his head, frowning slightly.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about what Namjoon said, about how if this is all successful I won't be able to return to the sea and I won't be able to see my family anymore. I'm sad. I didn't get to say goodbye to my big sisters and big brothers. I wonder if they're looking for my right now. Or if they even noticed I'm gone."

Jimin hugs Jeongguk, and Yoongi swims back to hug him. 

"If there's a will, there will be a way. I'm sure that you'll be able to remember them because once you're at the surface, maybe you'll be able to have your own family with the human you love."

"Wait, wait there's something I want to do before we leave. I didn't see my parents I don't want to leave without telling them. At least, maybe if it's them I can tell them right?"

Yoongi looks at him warily. 

"I don't know if that'll be a good idea to do, Jeongguk."

Jeongguk shakes his head. 

"Nonsense! My parents will understand, right? At least, they won't get the song until I'm above the sea. They won't get it for a few days."

Yoongi nods his head. 

"Go ahead, just- we'll be waiting for you over there." 

Yoongi and Jimin swim away, giving Jeongguk a moment to himself.

Jeongguk takes a deep breath. He sings a sorrowful song, a final goodbye.

"Thank you both for all that you've done. I want to be an bloom. That means leaving the kingdom. Don't look for me, I'll be safe, above the waves where the sun shines.", he sings the final words with sadness laced in his voice. 

The song will echo through the water and to the recipient.

Jeongguk swims back to where Yoongi and Jimin are. 

"It's okay, JenJen. I'll always be here for you." 

Jimin smiles. 

"Even when we become humans, we will always be friends!"

Jeongguk grins.

"You're right. I'll always have both of you with me."

They start swimming again, they're close to the surface already.

They arrive at the cove they usually hang out at whenever they're at the surface. 

Jimin and Yoongi take the potion before they leave the water. 

Jeongguk goes ahead of them, sitting at the shoreline with his hands full of the clothing.

He sets them down beside him. 

Jeongguk unclenches his fist with the seashell necklace and vial of potion. He gazes at the ocean, and the sky changing colours from black to orange and pink. 

Maybe Jeongguk can get used to this, seeing this beautiful human sun wake up from sleep every morning.

Beneath the deep ocean blue, he will miss a few breathtaking beauties that he'll miss seeing daily, but if the world above the ocean is also this beautiful, he can get used to seeing this every single day.

He gazes down at his light purple glittering iridescent tail. He wonders if there will ever be anything in this world that can compare to the color of his lavender shimmering tail. He runs his hands down his fins, admiring it. 

"I'm going to have human legs soon. If only I can- aha!"

If there's nothing that can be similar to the colour of his fin, Jeongguk has an idea to take just one of his scales, that way whenever he sees his scale, he'll think of his family and the sacrifice he made to be where he is.

Jeongguk takes one of his scales, pulling it from his tail. Wincing slightly, he holds the freshly picked scale up to the sky.

"A memory." 

He takes the vial up to his lips and drinks it in one go. 

Jeongguk attaches the necklace around his neck. Nothing happens in the first few moments, then it hits him.

The pain was more excruciating than he initially imagined. He believed that the transformation would be nothing but painless. Watching his iridescent purple scales fly off and disappear right before his eyes was tormenting. 

Jeongguk has to close his eyes from the immense, sharp pain shooting up his spine. He collapses on the shoreline.